Insignia and campaign button



(No Model.)

A. lPILIELPS, INSIGNIA AND CAMPAIGN BUTTON.

N6. 662,666. Patentedaune 26, 1696.

A INVENTGB.`

.7166?, f MMLloA wlmissw A BY mY's.

UNrrnD STATES PATENT erica.

AUGUSTUS PHELPS, OF NEVARK, NEWv JERSEY.

lNSlGNlA AND CAMPAIGN BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,656, dated J' une 23, 1896.

Application filed January 3, 1896. Serial No. 574,191. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS PHELPS, a citizen of the United States, residing at New ark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insignia and Campaign Buttons; and l do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art'to which it appertains to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a button better adapted, in political-campaign operations, for use in clearly and distinctly displaying the portrait of the candidate upon the person of the constituent, and thus advancing the cause or candidacy of the former before the public.

Another object is to prevent the button from turning in the buttonhole of the lapel of the coat of said constituent, so that when once properly placed, the button cannot turn so that the candidates portrait will be displayed head downward.

Other objects are to reduce the cost of construction, simplify the same, prevent wear upon the garment by avoiding objectionable features of construction common in other buttons, increase the durability of the button, and to obtain other advantages and results, some of which will be referred to hereinafter in connection with the description of the working parts.

The invention consists in the improved button and in the process of producing the same, all substantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures, Figure l is a vertical section of the button. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of one of the shank-sections in blank, and Fig. a is a section of'the button at line In said drawings, a indicates the displaying-head, a is the shank, and o. is the shoe, of the button, all of which are rigidly united to form the complete button.

The head a consists of the back-plate l), to which the shank is attached, the upper con- Vex shell c, and the celluloidal covering d, having an imprint e in ink. Said imprint Amay be in black or colored ink, and may be is held by said overlapping edges in a m anuer common in cloth-covered buttons.

The center of the back-plate b is perforated and through the perforation are inserted the lugs f, the said lugs being bent down, after insertion, in opposite directions, so that the said back-plate will be rmly and rigidly held against the shoulders f', as will be understood.

The shank a comprises two plate-like sections g g, arranged side by side, as shown in Fig. 1. At their upper ends said sections are provided with the lugs f, already referred to, and at their lower ends they are made halfw round, and the half-rounded parts f" are bent to lie at right angles, as indicated in Fig. l., and form, together, a complete disk, which comprises the core of the shoe. Over the core is turned the shoe-covering or shell 7L, which serves to firmly unite the shank-sections in said shoe.

The flat shank a", adapted to prevent turning, as described, is arranged in a plane substantially at right angles to the upright disposition of the portrait or iigures imprinted on t-he face of the head o. of the button, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 2, where 7c indicates a plane extending through the axial center ofthe button,on the opposite sides of which the figures are isometrically printed with reference to said plane, the upright lines of said `figures being generally parallel or approximately parallel with said plane, as will be apparent. By this construction, when the button is properly inserted in the buttonhole of the coat-lapel, which buttonhole is horizontally or approximately horizontally disposed, the head, reading-matter1 or device imprinted thereon will be upright or in proper position to be easily viewed and the subject thereof recognized, and said button will so remain while being worn.

The method of producing the button is substantially as follows: The metallic parts are first cut out in blank and shaped ready for being assembled in the button, the top plate being conveXed on the upper side, as indicated in Fig. l. The celluloidal coverings, before being cut into separated pieces, are in large sheets, each with a number of imprints thereon of the desired design. Means are provided for centrally adjusting the design with refer ence to the cutters, so that each covering will have its imprint properly disposed at the center of the flat disk when cut. The metallic plates or shells and celluloidal covering of each button are then subjected to the pressure of dies, and the celluloidal covering is simultaneously subjected to heatand thereby is rendered plastic, so that While having its edges folded between the shells, as in Fig. l, it is in a plastic condition, and will assume the convex shape desired at its face, and the fold ed shape shown at the edges without breaking or presenting unsightly creases on the face of the button. Thus the normal shape of the Celluloid is changed while the metallic parts are being joined thereto. By the pressure referred to, the shells are forced into holding engagement with one another and with the plas* tic covering.

IVhile being impressed, the imprint is protected by the dies, so that the surface of said imprint will not be marred or damaged.

Upon cooling, the plastic covering immediately hardens and the surface of the button presents a high polish and a hard surface of great durability, the button retaining its fmish and holding its design for long period of ordinary wear without deterioration in finish.

By my method I avoid the use of unsightly marginal rims of metal for holding the covering in place, which rims soon lose their polish and become corroded and dim, and the plastic covering being molded over and, at the margins, turned beneath the metal shells, the shape thus given becomes its normal shape, and there is no disposition or tendency on the part of the covering, when hardened, though hard and resilient, to assume its iiat discous shape and force itself out from its joints; but the-"tendency is rather to resist withdrawal,

,f Athus conducing to the permanence of oonstruction .of the button. There being no projecting marginal ridges, such as would be produced by a metallic rim, as above referred to, there are formed n o recesses in which dirt can accumulate and detract from the appearance of the button.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is l. The process or method of making campaign-buttons herein described, consisting in cutting sheets of plastic material into small covering portions while in a hard condition, then subjecting the said covering portions, with the metallic shells of the buttons, to

pressure and simultaneously softening the edges of the small hard-plastic sheets and thus rendering them pliable and turning the said edges between the metallic shells and pressing said shells into clamping relation to the plastic sheets, substantially as set forth.

2. The method or process of making campaign-buttons, which consists in printing an insignia on a plastic sheet when the sheet is in the flat, then subjecting the sheet and the shell of the button to pressure and heat while the parts are in proper relative positions, softening the printed sheet and bending the edges of the same and fastening them between the edges of the shells, substantially as set forth.

3. The improved button, comprising the upper or outer shell c, the perforated backplate b, flat shank-sections g, g, arranged side by side and having lugs, f, f, fast in said perforated backplate, the lugs f, f, being bent oppositely and at their lower ends having oppositely-bent parts f, over which the shoepiece h, is fastened, substantially as set forth.

4:. The improved campaign-button comprising the shells Z), c, and plastic covering d, forming the head, the saidplastic covering having an imprinted insignia at the center of the exposed side and at its edges being bent down and fastened between said shells, the shank comprising the sections g, g, each having lugs f, 4and half-round parts f, the latter being outwardly and oppositely bent, and a slice-piece h, having its edges turned over said half-round extensions and holding the same firmly together, substantially as set forth.

5. The improved campaign-button comprising the shells ZJ, c, plastic covering and imprint thereon forming the head, a shank consisting of the sections g, g, arranged side by side and having oppositely-bent lugs f, f, and half-round parts f, f", the last forming the core of the shoe and a shoe-piece bent over said half-round parts, all said parts being arranged and combined, substantially as set forth.

6. The method of making campaignbut tons which consists in forming metal shells and a cover of plastic material imprinting iigures upon said cover when the same is flat and then subjecting the shells and the cover to pressure to unitethe parts, the cover being simultaneously subjected to heat and rendered plastic whereby it is given a normal shape while being fastened to said shells, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing l have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of December, 1895.

AUGUSTUS PHEIAPS.

"Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, C. B. PITNEY.

IOO

IOS

IIO

IIS 

